Winter Nights Manual: Overview
General Operation of the Program
Winter Nights provides shelter for homeless families with children and ambulatory elders capable of self-care. It operates during winter months (mid-October through April) in congregational facilities that serve as shelters on a rotating basis. Many faith communities in Contra Costa County participate in this shelter program by providing a one or two-week shelter facility. Winter Nights provides qualified paid professional staff which have specific responsibilities different from the duties provided by volunteer workers associated with the hosting congregational facility.
The program is to provide protection from the elements for some of the most vulnerable homeless individuals in the County, namely families with children and elders. Additionally, it is anticipated that support for basic needs will assist these individuals and families to make progress toward the goal of obtaining permanent housing. Professional case management services are provided, and referrals are made to appropriate agencies to assist clients in achieving permanent housing. In 2007, 65% of the families that stayed in the program for 2 weeks or longer, found permanent housing.
Temple Isaiah hosts during Christmas and New Year’s to give our Christian faith hosting partners the ability to fully focus on their holidays.
The Shelter Program facility hours of operations are 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.. Host congregations provide participants with a hot evening meal, a cold breakfast, and supplies for clients to prepare bag lunches. On weekdays, participants are either working or have planned daytime activities at the Oasis Center at St. Vincent de Paul in Pittsburg. The Shelter Program operates in the evening and nights seven days a week. Congregations may choose to provide weekend activities during the day on-site or in the community for residents who wish to participate. Temple Isaiah will be open to our guests on the Saturdays and Sundays of our two weekends.
Temple Isaiah Winter Nights Task Force Contacts:
December 14 – December 28, 2008:
Sandy Anderson
(925) 254-4885 (Home)/(925) 330-1656 (Cell)
E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Cindy Coleman
(925) 228-1756 (Home)/(925) 408-0092 (Cell)
E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
What are the Responsibilities of the Winter Nights Professional Staff?
- Coordinate the Program.
- Provide screening and overnight operational management.
- Be present and awake during all hours of operation.
- Work with the Temple Isaiah team to ensure all arrangements at our facility are completed.
- Work to ensure that all volunteers are oriented to shelter policies and procedures.
- Screen all guests for entrance into the program.
- Maintain operational control of Temple Isaiah site during the scheduled hours of operation. (This does not include any weekend daytime programming or supervision provided at a congregational activity.)
- Establish and maintain a positive and healthy shelter environment, ensuring guest compliance with program guidelines. Professional staff has the responsibility for accepting, keeping, or dismissing shelter guests.
- Manage stressful situations (prior to occurrence if possible).
- Respond appropriately to contingency situations.
What Are Temple Isaiah’s Responsibilities?
- Provide space in the Social Hall for 30+ individuals and their belongings.
- Provide a point person to organize the volunteers from our congregation.
- Provide volunteers to staff all program activities; including laundry, set-up and takes down of equipment and supplies.
- Provide volunteers to prepare meals and all food related services including dishwashing on Green Nights.
- Provide a team of volunteers for evening activities.
- Provide a team of volunteers to sleep over.
- Provides a team of volunteers to do all other jobs necessary for a quality program as a two-week homeless shelter.
What kind of Volunteer Orientation Program is provided?
- Winter Nights Professional Staff provides an orientation for each congregational site in advance.
- In turn, our Temple Isaiah Volunteer Coordinator then provides an orientation for our leadership team with an appropriate manual and frequent communication via e-mail and phone.
- Leadership team may consider visiting another site or talking to other congregations to get ideas to make our program more successful.